Purchases through the web increase 30% in 2008
Valor Econômico 03/18/2009
Showing vigor in the Brazilian market even in view of the crisis, the purchases of consumption goods through the Internet achieved the amount of R$ 8.2 billion (US$ 4.8 billion) in 2008, which represented an increase of 30% compared to 2007. The preliminary data of the e-bit consulting company was confirmed and showed that, in 2008, at least 13.2 million Brazilians made purchases at least once through the Internet. The on-line retail resisted the first months in which the economic retraction frustrated the Brazilian commerce. Only in the month of Christmas, on-line sales increased 15% compared to December of the previous year, amounting to R$ 1.25 billion (US$ 683 million). The research per profile also showed that women and older people entered heavily in the electronic commerce last year. Among all consumers, 51% were women and 19% were older than 50. According to Guasti, the electronic commerce is also becoming popular among the classes with less economic power and lower level of instruction. "Last year, 42% of the sales through the Internet were to the C class", he emphasized. Books were the best selling products of Internet in 2008, with 17% of the volume of orders, followed by the categories of health and beauty (12%), computers (11%), electronic equipment (9%) and household devices (6%). The forecast is that the numbers of on-line retail will keep on surprising positively, even with the scenario of economic retraction, affirmed Guasti. According to a survey made together with the Brazilian Chamber of Electronic Commerce, the expectations of increase for 2009 are from 20% to 25% compared of last year, what would result in sales of R$ 10 billion in consumption goods sold through the Internet.